Potts.] ' W4: [April 19, 



Between fifty and sixty years ago there was more belief in ghosts than 

 now, and when we consider Mr. Dudley was then a young man, brought 

 up in an atmosphere in which this belief was not uncommon, the circum- 

 stance was one that few — ulone at such an hour in the middle of the night, 

 in a lonely country graveyard — very few, indeed, would have stopped to 

 investigate. His description was much more graphic and awe-inspiring 

 than we can give, and was related to the writer as an instance that we 

 must not be iufltienced by groundless (ears in what reason t<ills us is 

 untrue. 



Among Mr. Dudley's papers is a draft of a short article by him, signed 

 "Many Citizens," probably one of his first political efforts. It was pub- 

 lished in the United Stiies Gazette during the year 1842. Tills concerns 

 the removal ot Judge Philip J. Gray from the office of Surveyor of the 

 Port of Camden. He was a nian of character, highly respected, and was 

 afterwards reinstated by Zacliary Taylor. President John Tyler is taken 

 to task for this removal as being inconsistent with the views expressed in 

 his inaugural address to the people of the United States, April 9, 1841, 

 where he says, "I will remove no incumbent from office who has faith- 

 fully and honestly acquitted himself of the duties of his office, except in 

 such cases where such officer has been guilty of an active partisanship, or 

 by secret means, the less manly and therefore the more objectionable, has 

 given his official influence to the purposes of party, thereby bringing the 

 patronage of the Government in conflict with the freedom of elections." 



In 1843 Mr. Dudley held the two offices of City Clerk and City Treas- 

 urer of Camden when aged twenty-three. 



When twenty-four years of age we find him taking an active part in 

 the Clay campaign as Secretary of the Clay Club of Camden ; August 29. 

 1844, drawing up the minutes of the District Clay Club Convention, held 

 at Bridgeton at that date, as its Secretary ; Dr. Ephraira Buck, President, 

 associated with men some of whom were to become famous in the folate, 

 namely, Abraham Browning, A. G. Cattell, Dr. E. Q. Keasbey, Charles 

 P. Elmer and others. 



Among his papers is a rough drawing of a " Clay Cabin," a curiosity to 

 the present generation. It was located at Fourth and Market streets, Cam- 

 den, and these few details are worthy of being recorded for the history of 

 politics in this vicinity in what was a very exciting campaign. Tliis 

 "cabin " of those primitive political daysof half a century ago was "46 feet 

 deep and 25 feet front," with, of ccuirse, a flagpole, made in the early 

 part of the year 1844 for the Camden Clay Club. The building came to 

 a little more than the contract, costing in all $155 " 32 benches at 50 cts. 

 pr. peas," the carpenter's bill calls for, which gives an idea of Clay's 

 political following in the neighborhood. Allowing five persons to a 

 bench, we may conclude "the cibin " held 160 persons. Mr. Dudlc}' 

 seems to have been ac ive in all of this organization. A good speech of 

 his, made on the occasion of a flag presentation to this organization, has 

 been preset ved. It will be remembered he was then but twenty-four, 



